The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1887-06-24
A CALL DECLINED.
Why the Brandon Church Is Still
Without Pastor.

The First Church at Brandon were
seeking a pastor, an occupation that
had engrossed their energies for some
time past. For it was fully seven
months since the council had assem-
bled to formally dismiss Mr.. Barnes,
and had declared the pulpit vacant
Mr.. Barnes had labored faithfully in
their service for five long years. Dur
ing all this time he had preached good,
if not brilliant sermons; attended reg
ularly at the prayer-meeting; and made
all the pastoral calls that one mortal
man, without horse and buggy, could
reasonably be expected to make. And
yet his congregation were not salts
fed. limitations finally reached the
ears of the good man that his resigna-
ton would be resignedly accepted.
He sent it in, and the papers the next
day announced the grief of the First
Church at the resignation of their be-
loved pastor, Mr.. Barnes, whose wife s
health forced him to seek more salu-
brious climate.
Whereupon it devOlved upon the or
phaned congregation to choose for
AhNAAAaDAfI1 % AAeloNOA III man hANCA LAAtAA
own hearts; one who should possess
all the virtues of their late pastor, as
well as those which he lacked.
They proceeded to search for him in
a truly orthodox way; namely, by en-
tertaining candidates. Sabbath after
Sabbath beheld different divine in
the pulpit. They came, we knew not
whence, and returned, we knew not
whittier. They embraced every known
type of man, from the venerable DID.
of three score and ten to the immature
theological student of twenty-one sum-
mers.
The doctrine preached to that people
during the season of candidating was
as variegated as the patchwork silk
quilt which they presented to their late
pastors wife on her birthday II
branched out into every known ''ism. -
There was the ''Old school, and the
''new school," old-fashioned orthodoxy
and modern free thought There were
sermons with strong leanings toward
liberalism, and there were others ooz-
ing orthodoxy at every pore. And
there Were scientific sermons without
end, and poetical and philosophical
ones. But in all this variety the peo-
pie found not the man they sought.
There were some insurmountable OBJ
iections to every candidate.
Rev. Mr.. Abercrombie gave them
good sermons, but the college students
declared that his gestures were sex
ecrable, and would demoralize theil
own ''style;" and they came en- masse
to the church meeting and voted hin
down.
Rev J. Erwin Smith was youthful
and handsome, and the young ladies
shed tears of regret when the church
decided not TO call him. But Deacon
Grimes said his sermons were mer,
''froth," and he hoped they wOuldn'
in his day get down to a man VIII,
parted his hair in the middle.
Rev. Mr.. Loring was too dramatic
and threatened TO convert the stale
old church into a theater, while goo'
Mr.. Blakesly, who despised show, wa
rejected because he didn't draw.
One candidate was too solemn, anothe
too frivolous; one was too reserved
another too common"
And so the spring and summer cam
and faded away, and fall was fas
emerging into winter; and the peopl
were growing weary of their search
and longed for settled pastor, but h
still eluded them. As old Mr.. Grov
aptly summed up the situation: "We'v
had close to a hundred men here {
preach for US, and we've given 'em a
fair show, and there hain't been
perfect man among EN-"
At length, when expectation wa
well-nigh exhausted, cheering IA
penetrated the gloom of their despond
enoy, and in their minds eye the
could see as their own established pas
tor. the brilliant young preacher VIII
was holding audiences spell-bound in
Western city. A delegation was dis
patched to treat with him. He ha
uraciously consented to consider th
matter, and the whole situation was a
encouraging as IL well could be. II
was to preach for them on trial tn
first Sunday in December, and on tn
Saturday evening previous Deaco
Gilsey and his wife were returnin
from a days shopping in Chicago
just as the cars We're starting, NJ